Together- first in the What-If series
by The Hope Lions
Summary: What if Eddie had begun school at the same time as Nina? Would Peddie and Fabina still have flourished? Would Eddie have been part of Sibuna? Would he find out that he was the Osirian sooner? One little change and now there are a million possibilities. (Don't worry about what i said above. There will be plenty of Peddie and plenty of Fabina) ON HIATUS I'M SO SORRY!
1. Chapter 1

So I got this idea last night and decided to try it. Basically I'm re-writing season 1 with how I think it would have happened had Eddie been there. At this point it's basically me writing what happens in each episode (I'm re-watching them as I go) but soon enough I'll be completely off book. Hope you enjoy and review with what you think or any suggestions about other if-then stories I should write.

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Chapter 1

House of Secrets

I watched as the train vanished from sight and knew that with it went my last chance to return home to everything I knew and loved. _Don't be ridiculous, Nina. You don't want to go home._ It was true; here was the exact place I'd always dreamed of being. Still, you know that feeling when you finally get something you always wanted and now you're scared it won't be what you expected; that's how I felt. _It will everything you ever hoped for._ I asusured myself. Yet, I could only pray my subconscious was right and this wasn't about to be a disaster._If you hate it you can always transfer back to America _ I assured would be awkward, but it would be feasible. _You won't hate it though. You'll love it so go find your taxi. _

After my own personal pep talk I took a deep breath and went around back to where I hoped the taxi would be waiting. "Nina Martin?" Though I knew that British people had British accents, it was still so weird to hear them in person and know that would be all I'd hear for months.

"Yes! That's me!" I cried excited. As nervous as I was this truly was what I wanted. I was here, in England, going to boarding school. This would turn out great. This had to turn out great.

"Oh you're American then?" the driver asked. I'd hear that British people were less friendly to strangers, but this man seemed nice enough. Nicer than most taxi drivers I'd ever met at least.

"Yeah, how'd you know. Was it the accent?" I questioned in reply. As much as I knew I couldn't blend in, being known as the American surely wouldn't be fun.

"No, the big American flag on your suitcase," he replied with a chuckle. As flames grew up my cheeks I looked down at the sticker, mumbled a few words of nonsense, and pulled it right off.

"Well, jump in love," he told me cheerfully. I felt a wave of confusion for a moment when he pulled into the passenger seat, before I remembered I'd be driving on the opposite side of the road from now on. Man there were a lot of things to get used to.

The ride didn't take long, and I filled it with idle chit-chat until my phone rang and I saw a message from gram.

"Is that your parents checking up on you?" the driver assumed and unknowingly sent a wave of depression over me. Sure, I loved Gran, but sometimes I just wished I remembered my parents and that they'd lived to come and check up on me. _Nothing you can do about it though. So chin up and remember this will be great. _

When the driver asked if he should turn around after I explained my story, I instantly knew that was not what I wanted at all. "No way." No way was I going home, not when I was this chose to what I'd always wanted.

Soon enough we pulled into the school and a sense of cool awe settled over me. I'd seen enough pictures to know that Frobisher Academy was grand, but never had I imagined this.

"It's a big place," he could say that again. "Where'd you need to be?"

Checking quickly I repeated what the papers said, "it says here I'm in the House of Anubis."

As we parked I saw a few students staring, but that was only to be expected. After all term started two weeks ago and I was the weird new Sophomore. Still, the school itself was so amazing I didn't even bother to think of my peers reactions. "Wow. Welcome to Hogwarts." Turning I noticed my driver had already set off in the opposite direction. "Hey! Wait up!"

I should have known better than to run, because quickly enough I ran into one of the girls I'd seen before. "I'm so sorry!" I cried before dashing off to pay the cabbie. Once he'd left I turned and faced my new boarding house.

If the school was amazing the house was something else entirely. Vines grew up and down the sides while a stone tablet indicated that I was in the right place. One look and I knew I'd made the right choice. This was where I belonged.

"You just going to stand there blocking my path or are you going to go inside?" Startled, I spun around and saw a blonde bad-boy leather jacket and all standing there looking annoyed. Still, something told me he wasn't really mad at me. He seemed to want to be at this school about as much as I didn't want to be at this school. (And I really wanted to be at this school.)

"Sorry, do you live here? I'm Nina Martin."

The boy lifted his head like someone had just answered his most desperate prayer. "Thank God another American. At least I'll be able to understand what someone's saying." I hadn't noticed it before, but when he mentioned it this boy seemed to be from the states like me. Huh. I thought I was the only international student. Guess I was wrong then. "I'm Eddie Miller by the way," he told me with an extended hand. Just his tone told me that this kid thought I was another girl to be woed, but I took his hand anyway. Now was not the time to be making enemies of my housemates no matter how self assured.

The moment our skin touched the doors to the house sprung open despite the obvious lack of wind. "Okay, does that normally happen?" Eddie asked peering inside to the ancient house.

"Wouldn't know. Today is my first day too," or I'd assume this kid was new since he had A-no uniform and B-a suitcase. "Maybe they're just motion censored or something."

"Yeah… maybe," Eddie decided all interest suddenly lost. "Say I'm supposed to see this guy Victor. You wouldn't happen to know where he was, right?"

I only shrugged, "Like I said. I'm new too. I probably have to see him too why don't we go inside and look?"

"No need, I bet that's him there," Eddie suggested pointing to the greasy haired man who was giving us the stink eye.

"Isn't the bell working?" he asked gruffly.

"Um no," Eddie told him with a creased eyebrow. "The doors opened themselves so we were just going to come in."

Victor huffed before stepping aside to let us in. "Just two more miscreants," he muttered. "You're late," he said interrupting me from my thoughts about the gorgeous grand foyer. "Two weeks late."

I moved to explain how the scholarship hadn't gone through originally, but Eddie spoke first. "Well, considering both Americans got here late maybe you should consider your International message delivery system."

I took my first breath as Victor redirected his glare from me to Eddie. "I will not tolerate back talk boy, not even from you." Wait what? Why did Victor make it sound like Eddie was special or something?

Eddie didn't say anything else, but he also didn't even attempt to hide the roll of his eyes. Victor too seemed like he wasn't done berating us, but a sweet voice interrupted him before he could.

"Victor Rodenmaar. I hope you're giving our new guests the warmest of welcomes." She winked at me, "Well, as warm as he gets anyway. Hello Sweeties!" the kindly women told us as she wrapped a warm hand around Eddie and my arms. "I'm Trudy, your new house mother. Welcome to Anubis house." Clearly Trudy knew Eddie wouldn't care for her jokes, because she only whispered to me, "It's only spookier than the brochure."

Victor seemed unamused by her banter, and quickly began pacing again, "The Anubis Estate was originally built in 1890 although it wasn't actually named Anubis until 1922."

"He would know," Eddie whispered to me behind the caretaker's back. "He looks old enough to have been there."

"I can hear you Mr. Miller," Victor scolded. "One more peep and you will have a detention. I don't care how short of a time you've been in this country I do not tolerate rudeness."

"Oh Victor be kind," Trudy scolded with as much malice as I imagine she could muster. It seemed Trudy was sweet on Victor (not that he'd know). "Why don't I give you two a tour?" Trudy suggested.

As we followed her into the common room a gorgeous painting that hung on the wall caught my eye. "Mr. and Mrs. Frobisher-Smythe," Victor informed me. "the original inhabitants." Moving closer to the picture Victor didn't look me in the eye as he spoke. "They died. Very tragically."

"Well let's just hope the house isn't haunted then," Eddie, who was already eyeing the kitchen, noted. I didn't believe in ghosts, only a fool would, but looking at the picture I could imagine the couple's ghosts being trapped to a house as old as this.

"Why don't I show you where you'll be sleeping," Trudy suggested in an attempt to keep everything upbeat.

"Is Miss Martin's ready?" Victor asked quickly.

"Yes they've cleared it,"Trudy assured and I could only wonder what they cleared it of. Surely, a student hadn't only attended for a whole two weeks?

"You Mr. Miller will be sharing a triple with Fabian Rutter and Mick Campbell," Victor told him pointing to the far room downstairs. Taking that as his leave, Eddie grabbed his suitcase from the main hall and disappeared into the room. "We don't want anyone wandering around after nine o'clock," Victor said loud enough for Eddie to hear through the door. "And all lights must be out by 10." As we went upstairs Victor pointed to the open glass office, "This is my room which needless to say is strictly out of bounds."

Leaving Victor behind in his office to drop off a file of sorts he held in his hands, Trudy brought me farther down the hall. "What's up there?" I wondered pointing to the door at the end of the long hallway. Something about the room screamed danger and mystery, which meant it was most likely out of bounds a fact Victor quickly confirmed.

"That is the attic and going up there or down into the cellar will result in harsh punishment, Is that understood?"

"Crystal clear," I promised. It seemed like Eddie who'd need to be reminded of the rules much more than me. I'm definitely the play it safe type. No amount of curiosity would lead me to get in trouble before my bed at home was even cold.

"This is your room in here," Trudy told me opening the door to a spacious room that was already half covered in posters and unhung clothes.

"Who's that?" I wondered picking up the picture of two smiling girls I'd seen outside.

"Oh that's Joy," Trudy told me just as Victor crumbled the photo.

"Joy has left," he told me firmly.

"Rather unexpectedly if I may say," Trudy looked like she'd miss the girl and I instantly felt bad for taking her place. Still it wasn't like it was my fault.

"You shall not," Victor told her malice clear in his voice as he tossed out the picture. "Your trunks have arrived I shall leave you to unpack."

Glad to be finally alone I began making my side of the room my own and was just about done when the other girl from the picture of Joy burst in the room, "Joy…" Noticing that I wasn't her friend she began to freak out. "Who are you?" She spit at me.

"I'm Nina," I told her trying to be as friendly as possible, "I'm new and American, obviously…"

"Who cares," she snapped. "Where are Joy's things? What's going on?" Didn't this girl know her friend had left? Surely the girl had told someone and hadn't just left me to pick up the pieces. I was about to say something when the girl saw the picture Victor had thrown in the trash," Did you do this?" she growled as I tried to explain.

"No I just got here," I told her but the angry girl had already grabbed my bedding and thrown it out the door. "Please stop, Victor told me that Joy had left!"

Patricia didn't believe it as she pulled a phone from beneath the bed. "Without this? This is her phone. Did you steal it?" she accused.

Flustered I told her no, but she didn't listen and continued to yell. "What on earth is going on up here?" Eddie asked looking between Patricia and I. "Who are you?"

"Who are you?" She spit back temper flaring. "What's with the sudden inundation of Americans? Let me guess you kidnapped Fabian and took his spot just like she did with Joy!"

I didn't know who Fabian was, and neither did Eddie, but one look between us said it all. This mad girl, whoever she was, would forever hate us.

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Wow, that's long and pretty poorly written. Hopefully, when i can take more liberties, it will get better and easier to do. So please review with any suggestions or thoughts!


	2. Chapter 2

Okay I'm pretty sure the names are off... but I'm just writing the chapter titles as I'm given...

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Chapter 2

House of Locks

"Did you hear what I said?" Patricia growled getting close up in my face. "Where's Joy?"

"Back off," Eddie told her with a scowl. "She told you already she doesn't know where Joy is!"

"Well do you? Two Americans show up and Joy disappears! It's not a coincidence!" Patricia insisted.

"I don't even know who Joy is never mind where she is," Eddie told her with a 'so move on' look. My roommate wasn't done though.

"WHERE'S JOY!" She screamed at me.

"Look can we start again?" I asked pitifully. "I'm Nina, from America and Joy was gone when I got here so unless she's hiding under the bed…"

"Patricia Williamson, what is going on?" Victor asked coming down from the attic. I never imagined I'd be happy to hear his slimy voice, but in that moment I was thrilled that he could sort out this mess.

"That's what I'd like to know," she told him shortly. "Where's Joy?"

"Joy has left," Victor told the hot-headed girl evenly, but that only bothered Patricia more.

"What do you mean she's left?!"

"Her parents came to school this afternoon and removed her," Victor told her as if this was the last thing he wanted to be doing.

"But… that's impossible! Why would they do that?" Patricia muttered more to herself than Victor.

"Maybe they don't want their daughter sharing a room with someone mad enough to scatter a girl's belongings across a hallway," Eddie suggested. I shot him a 'not helping glare', but Patricia took his words as a confession of guilt.

"What did you do to Joy!" she screamed in his face. "Joy would never leave without saying goodbye, or her phone, or bunsy-bun!" While I didn't agree with Patricia on much, it did seem odd she'd left so much behind. Still, if her parents hadn't told her it was happening she must have been in a rush as she packed.

"Give them to me and I'll forward them on to her," Victor told Patricia clearly exasperated. Patricia seemed unwilling to oblige, so with a hard glare Victor repeated himself, "Give." Reluctantly she handed them over before denying Victor's request to put Nina's stuff back in the room.

"I'm going to phone Joy and see what's going on!" she screamed before stomping into the room.

"How are you going to call her when she left her phone here?" Eddie snarked. "Or are you so dumb you forgot that already?"

"Eddie!" I cried just as Patricia gave him the death glare.

"I don't know who you are," she began with fear inducing words, "Or what you're doing here, but I'm going to find out what you did to Joy."

After Victor left and Patricia stormed off, Eddie gave me a look before tossing my stuff back into the room. "Well aren't you lucky to have to room with that."

"I'm sure she's not so bad," I told him even though I knew it probably wasn't true. "She's just worried about her friend."

"Well obviously they weren't that good of friends if this Joy left without saying goodbye," Eddie pointed out before leaving to wash up before dinner. Sighing I re-made my bed before heading down to face this dinner which surely wouldn't be fun.

I was about to walk into the common room and introduce myself when Eddie grabbed me and put his hand over my mouth, "Shh. They're talking about us."

"Maybe the new kids are alien twins and they abducted Joy," one of the boy suggested with a tone slightly too serious.

"They're complete freaks," I heard Patricia tell her friends. "And the boy is a complete jerk."

"But you really think they did something to Joy," a level-headed girl asked. "Patricia, that's a big accusation."

"I know Joy wouldn't just leave without saying goodbye. That's not her," Patricia assured. Though no one was calling her out over being ridiculous, I knew all my housemates didn't believe we'd kidnapped Joy.

"Dinner!" Trudy called from the kitchen. Clearly not ready to miss a meal even for the benefits of eaves dropping Eddie released me and strolled into the kitchen where everyone was already seated.

"Hi I'm Eddie and I like to kidnap best friends," he told them with a grin before pulling up a chair between a well-dressed blonde and another girl with a darker coloring.

"Nina," I told them with a smile before noticing there weren't enough chairs.

"Here, take mine," a brunette boy told me quickly. "I'll go find another."

"Thanks," I told him with a smile.

"Looks like Fabian has a crush on the alien. Careful or she'll eat you," and African American (wait it would be African British wouldn't it? I hate political correctness) kid said with a grin. Ah. So this was the one who swore aliens existed even if he didn't actually believe I was one.

"Shut up Alfie," the boy, Fabian, told his friend with a gentle smack. "I'm just being friendly."

"Has anyone seen Mick?" the blonde who appeared to be wearing a tiara asked looking around. When no one responded she stood and went off to look for him.

"Let me guess, Mick's the quarterback and she's the head cheerleader," Eddie suggested causing one of the boys a well styled blonde, to laugh.

"Wrong football, but yeah Amber and Mick are an item. I once said they had an IQ of a pea, and they were pleased. Perfect couple."

"Shut up Jerome that's mean," the darkish skin girl told him with a roll of the eyes. "I'm Mara by the way. Welcome to Anubis House."

I was about to say thanks when Patricia started yelling again, "Is everyone going to ignore the fact that Eddie did something to Joy while Nina just walked in and took her place?"

No one answered, but instead the alien boy started picking up the spaghetti with 2 forks and stuffing it in his mouth. "Stop it Alfie that's disgusting and you're probably going to choke!" Mara cried while Jerome and Eddie just giggled.

"Dude if you're going to stuff it in your mouth at least do it right," Eddie suggested before picking up a giant meatball and stuffing it in his mouth whole.

"Boys don't play with your food," Jerome reprimanded before 'accidentally' tossing spaghetti on both of them. (At this point Eddie did start to choke, but soon enough he looked okay.)

Mad, Alfie tossed the spaghetti back and soon enough we were in a full out food fight. Before I could even process it, I had spaghetti dripping from my hair and Patricia just dumped a bucket of water on me.

"Classy Patricia," Fabian scolded.

"What?" Patricia asked innocently. "It was an accident." I felt like ringing her neck but instead settled for ringing out my shirt.

"Are you okay?" Fabian asked looking at my soaked body.

"Yeah I'm fine I just feel like my sweater is shrinking to my body," I told him weakly. Why did Patricia have to be so mean?

"So when are you going to tell us what you know about Joy's disappearance?" She asked for what had to be the millionth time. I was about to tell her, again, that I knew nothing when Victor came into the room calling my name.

"Nina! Phone call for you… what's going on?" he questioned when seeing the mess.

"Nothing," Patricia told him her good-girl voice ringing in my ears. "Just Nina spilling water everywhere."

Unwilling to start a fight I wiped the last of the spaghetti from my body and went to answer the phone. I would not let Patricia win by seeing me cry.

"How's Harry Potter land?" joy and regret filled me at Gran's sweet voice. I desperately wanted to tell her how miserable I was and how I wanted to go home, but instead I settled for the usual lies. She needed to think I was happy and had friends because the truth hurt too much. I was miserable, but I had to stick it out. It couldn't possibly stay this bad forever. When she finally hung up I let myself have a moment of tears as i try to processed every horrible thing that had happened in the last few hours.

"Is everything okay?" God no. I lifted my head to see Fabian standing there awkwardly as he saw the tears streaming down my face.

"Yeah, yeah it's fine. Just… allergies," I lied with a fake smile. "You guys have cats, right?"

"No," he told me sadly clearly not fooled by my weak veneer of happiness.

"Must just be this new sweater," I told him before running up the stairs to be miserable in peace.

A few hours later I was ready to face the music and went downstairs to read a magazine, by myself, if only to show Patricia that she didn't bother me as much as she thought she did.

Though I knew I wouldn't be able to avoid her, I had hoped Patricia would have stopped accusing me of kidnapping Joy by now. Unfortunately, it seemed she was still going on about it when once again I was subject to her interrogation. "So are you going to tell us what you did with Joy?" she asked walking into the room a few minutes after me.

"I don't know," I told her before mumbling, "As I told you a hundred times already,"

"What did you say?" she growled.

"Nothing," I told her with a sigh. I would not steep to her level and start a fight. I would keep calm.

"Still trying to find your girlfriend?" Eddie asked when he walked in the house from where he'd been yelling on the phone outside. (Someone has anger management issues.)

"Shut up Eddie you're being no nicer than her," I pointed out. Maybe I shouldn't insult one of the only people who was even remotely kind to me, but Eddie didn't seem like the kind of guy I wanted as a friend.

"Whatever," he told me before heading to his room. Unwilling to stay in the awkward silence any longer I threw down my magazine and turned in for an early night.

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Also, I don't normally like Beta's because I hate being told what to do, but if anyone is willing to get some spoilers and tell me if something makes ANY sense at all I'd love someone to help me with this. :)


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

House of I give up with getting these names right

"And there it was, staring out at me, 'Help me-Joy!" Patricia's voice flooded through my ears when I awoke the next morning. Obviously something had happened or the girl wouldn't have been talking so loud. Throwing on a bra and some slippers I looked over the banister to see an already dressed Patricia frantically telling her story to the boys. With a roll of my eyes I dressed in my new uniform quickly and went downstairs for breakfast.

"So Joy is dead then," Jerome said softly in the kitchen causing me to stop in my tracks. What?

"Of course not," Patricia answered, but apparently the thought hadn't crossed her mind yet. "I mean that's not possible."

"She has to be a ghost," Alfie answered with a shake of his head. "I mean she's obviously not in the house so how else could she leave the message if she's not dead?"

"Why aren't you two more upset?" Amber cried looking between Alfie and Jerome. "Our best friend is dead!"

"Please," Eddie told her sitting down at the table with a swagger. "Joy's not dead because she didn't leave that message. I saw Alfie do it."

"What?" Alfie's cry was so fake even I knew it. "Oh course I didn't do it. It was probably Eddie if it wasn't Joy's spirit."

"You're not actually considering it was ghost right?" I asked while pouring some OJ. "Ghosts don't exist. Personally I think it was one of the boys trying to mess with you."

"No one asked your opinion newbie," Patricia growled.

"Fine," I told her before grabbing a muffin and sliding out of the door. "I'll just go to school early and find out what work I have to catch up on then."

"You know what I have to go over too," Eddie told me looking down at his phone. Of all things said that morning that probably surprised me the most. I imagined Eddie would be more the kind of kid who got to class late on his first day. "Don't give me that look," he demanded slinging a backpack over his shoulder. "There's something wrong with my transcript and I have to go meet Mr. Sweat or whatever his name is."

I heard a few giggles at Eddie's Mr. Sweat joke, but I was already out of the house to quick to hear much else. Honestly I didn't really want to walk with Eddie. Maybe he was nice to me, but anyone who could be so rude to others wasn't my type of guy.

"Wait," I heard him cry and I slowed down my speed. Even if I didn't want to be friends I already had enough enemies as it was. "I almost thought you were avoiding me for a second," he said with a grin upon catching up.

"Of course not," I lied, "Why would I…" before I could finish my sentence I found myself face-to-face with an ancient, but smiling, women. "Are you okay?" I had no idea why there was a women in a hospital gown out, but it probably wasn't good.

"That's my house," she told me pointing to Anubis house. Eddie flashed me a 'is she crazy look', but I scowled before turning back to her.

"I don't think it is," I told her kindly. "It's a school."

"That's my house," she insisted and I just smiled and sat down with her.

"Okay, it's your house." I knew you weren't supposed to give in to someone's hallucinations, but this women probably had a severe case of Alzheimer's. She looked like she was almost a hundred. "It kind of suits you. Maybe you could tell me where you really live and we could take you back?"

The old women looked between Eddie and I before an odd sense of understanding dawned on her face. "It's you isn't it?" She asked with a sad smile. "And you're him." Eddie and I exchanged a befuddled look before the women spoke again. "I knew you'd come."

"I'm sorry but I have no idea what you're talking about," Eddie told her moving close for the first time.

"Sarah, my name is Sarah," she told us with a smile. As my concern for this women's mental state grew I looked to Eddie for suggestions. Unfortunately he just shrugged.

"Sarah, why don't you come inside so we can find out where you live," Eddie suggested kindly despite him clearly being out of his comfort zone.

"I can't go in there!" Sarah cried suddenly getting very nervous. "He's waiting!" With anyone else I'd be worried about what they meant, but Sarah thought she lived at my school so clearly what she said was nonsense.

"Eddie, why don't you go back inside and see if Trudy knows where our friend might live." I suggested more to get the boy out of my hair than anything else.

"No!" Sarah cried. "You can't leave her! You must never leave her!"

"Um," Eddie mumbled looking to me for direction. "I'm sure you'll be fine. It will only be a minute."

Before the women could object any more, Eddie set off at a run towards the house while I sat rubbing her hands like I do with Gran. "He must not leave you. You need him," Sarah kept repeating while he was gone. The minute he returned Sarah seemed to relax and take her first full breath.

"Trudy say's there is an old folks home down the street. I'll tell the teachers where you are if you want to bring her home," Eddie suggested clearly out of breath from all his running. However, as soon as he mentioned leaving I knew that wasn't an option because Sarah started freaking out again. "Okay. You know what we'll both bring you home then," he decided.

Our walk to the old folk home was filled with the noise of Sarah mumbling about 'them' and 'protect'. Finally, we arrived at the home and found a kindly women who helped us bring Sarah inside. "You're not usually one to wander off Emily."

"Emily?" Eddie began but Sarah/Emily cut him off with a shushing finger.

"She's rather confused," the women told us, "As I'm sure you realized. But she's not normally a sprinter."

"Isn't that our house," Eddie asked pointing to a picture on the wall. I hadn't noticed it before, but at his direction I saw the sketch of Anubis house. "Any idea why 'Emily' would say she lived there?" he asked of the attendant.

"For all we know she did," the nurse said with a shrug. "We know very little about Emily's past. ISN'T THAT RIGHT EMILY?"

"You don't have to shout," Emily/Sarah said with a exasperated look. "I'm not deaf you know."

After leading us into Emily's room the nurse settled Sarah/Emily into a chair. "Do you kids have time for a cup of tea before you go?"

"Well I'm in no rush to get to classes," Eddie confessed. "But I don't do tea."

"We have coffee," the nurse suggested with a smile causing Eddie to nod vigorously. "What about you hon?"

"I'd love some tea," I told her with a smile. Normally I'm not one to ditch classes, but I really didn't want to face either my housemates or the new-girl stare.

As soon as the women left however, I wished I hadn't stayed. Emily quickly rose from her chair and pulled Eddie and me in tight so we formed a bit of a secret. "I've been waiting so long. Keeping the secret. Now it's your turn." Eddie stepped away, worried about how mad this women was, but I only moved in closer. "Here, take this," before I could say anything Sarah's eye of Horus necklace was sitting in my hands. "But keep it hidden or they'll take it from you. They take everything from you in the end."

"I can't possibly take this," I told her attempting to replace the necklace around her neck. Sarah however only pushed me away with unexpected strength.

"But you must!" She demanded. "It will keep you safe." Sarah looked over to Eddie, "You must keep her safe too."

"I'm sorry I don't…" Eddie began but Sarah kept speaking hastily.

"There is treasure hidden in that house," she swore. "And only you have to power to find and protect it." Sarah's gaze was hard on me as she spoke. I so desperately wanted to help the senile old women, assure her I would protect this treasure, but something about her words sent a shiver of fear down my spine. Almost as if I too was mad enough to believe her. "And only you have to power to protect her!" Sarah cried at Eddie.

"Emily I don't think…"

"SARAH!" she cried with a harsh whisper-yell. "My name is Sarah and I know you." Her head swiveled to Eddie. "Both of you."

"I'm sorry," I told her softly moving in for a hug. "I know what it's like to miss the place you come from."

"And you know me Nina!" Wait, what? How did Sarah or Emily or whatever her name was know my name? I turned to Eddie to see if we'd mentioned it, but his shrug said we hadn't. There was absolutely no way she could have known my name;It just wasn't possible. What on earth was going on?

"How do you know her name?" Eddie asked kneeling so he could be at eye-level with the sitting women.

"Beware the black bird!" Sarah cried desperately. "You must protect her from the black bird, Eddie." Maybe she heard me say Eddie's name before… but that still didn't explain how she knew my name. How was any of this possible?

"Here we go," the nurse said breaking apart our intense powwow. "Oh? Did I interrupt something?"

"It's… it's nothing," I stuttered looking between Eddie and the old women. "Thanks so much for the drinks, but we've really got to go now, don't we Eddie."

"Beware the black bird," I heard Sarah whisper again as we set off towards school.

"What the hell was that?" Eddie asked as we crossed the yard. "How did she know your name? And what's the black bird?"

"You must have said it," I told him even though I knew as a fact he hadn't. "She's just a senile old women who's confused."

"I don't believe you," Eddie told me stepping in front of me so I couldn't walk farther. "You know it too, whatever she meant it wasn't an old women's ramblings. She clearly sees danger at Anubis house."

"There you two are," Mr. Sweet, the headmaster who was crossing the lawn called when he saw us. "Trudy said you were helping an old women, but now it's time to get to class. Festina lente!"

I used the man's Latin as an excuse to break off the conversation as I ran for class. Both at lunch break and after school Eddie tried to find me so we could resume the conversation, but I avoided him.

I knew Sarah wasn't mad the same way I knew that I had to keep her necklace safe. Something was going on and Eddie and I were a part of it. Treasure Sarah had said. We had to find treasure, whatever it was, but where did we start looking?

"Caw caw caw, beware the black birds." I was startled awake by Patricia who was standing over me dumping some sort of black feathers.

"What are you doing?" I asked her rubbing my eyes, but the girl was so busy laughing it took her a while to respond.

"You woke me up 'beware the black bird'," she finally said before crawling into bed and shutting off her light. "Aww are you scared?" she asked upon noticing my lamp was still on. "Going to sleep with the light on newbie?"

While Patricia was right and I was terrified, I settled down, turned off the light, and then studied the locket Sarah had given me. By phone light I saw a picture of a beautiful young women, who I assumed was Sarah.

_She's just old and confused and you're just stressed. _I told myself placing my phone back on the nightstand._Get some sleep and you'll realize just how ridiculous you've been._

Settling back down to sleep my dreams continued to be plagued by dreams of Sarah rambling about treasure, but when I woke up the next morning and told Eddie that it really was nothing he wasn't the only one who believed my words. _There was no way this house held treasure, of evil, or anything supernatural. Emily is just confused and heard Eddie say your name._ As I set off for my first full day of classes I smiled knowing that I had to be right because the only other option just wasn't possible.


	4. Chapter 4

I'd like to thank fanficgirl1999 for being on and listening to me freak out about getting Eddie's first line in this chapter just right... also thanks to hbhs12 and HOATTSTHG for agreeing to always put up with paranoid old me. I love you guys!

* * *

Chapter 4

"I wish I could have seen her face when she woke up covered in feathers," I heard Jerome taunt with a laugh. I was so done I would of yelled at him myself, but Eddie got there first.

"I wish I could see your face when I stuff those feathers down your throat," I heard him growl as I stepped into the kitchen. I found it kind of odd that Eddie, who was generally just mildly annoying, would freak out so much to defend me. Maybe he had issues with guys picking on girls though (but since he picked on girls i don't really get it.) Still, as nice as Eddie had been to me, I sat down on the other side of the table next to Fabian. If he was threatening violence like that I really didn't want to be on any side of him.

"Chill out," Jerome told him. "It was just a harmless prank."

"Well look at the last harmless prank Alfie pulled. He got you all thinking Joy had died and now her spirit haunted the house," Eddie reminded them.

"So what was this dream anyways?" Fabian asked leaning towards me in an attempt to get away from the bickering.

"It was awful," I confessed looking at my laughing housemates. "I know they're making fun of it but it felt so real. It felt… evil." I was worried Fabian would laugh, but instead he just flashed me a sympathetic look. At least there was someone in this house who wasn't a horrible person.

"Has anyone seen Mara, she has my hair straightener?" Amber interrupted walking into the room with a hand on her hip.

"Yeah, she's with Mick in our room," Fabian told her sitting back in his chair.

"What!" Amber cried fuming with anger.

"Ut oh green eyed monster alert," Jerome said with a smile at the girl's raging envy of the girl spending time with her boyfriend.

"I'm not jealous," Amber lied sitting down awkwardly. "Why would I be jealous? What's there to be jealous of?"

"She's helping him with homework, that's all," Fabian assured her, but from across the table I heard Eddie snort with disbelief.

"You have something to say slimeball?" Patricia asked with a scowl. If there was one person in this place she hated more than me it was Eddie.

"All I was thinking, yacker, was that with a girl as pretty as Mara and a guy as… stereotypical as Mick I can't imagine much work getting done."

"Mick would never cheat on me!" Amber's cry was terrified as if Eddie's words had just confirmed her worst fear.

"I'm sure he wouldn't," Alfie told her with a supportive hand, "But if he is and you need a shoulder to cry on, I have 2." Ahh. So Alfie liked Amber, but she only had eyes for Mick. Isn't high school wonderful?

"Shut up Alfie!" Amber cried before storming off tears welling in her eyes. Pity flooded within me as I realized the girl had just become subject to exactly what I'd been going through the past two days and I'd done nothing to help.

"You're really not helping things Eddie," I told him trying to keep the wavering fear of his temper from showing in my voice.

"Oh don't be so harsh Nina," he told me with a grin. "It's all good fun. No one got hurt."

"Except for Amber," Fabian pointed out. "Maybe we should ALL try to be a bit nicer to each other? We've all be quite horrible as of late."

"Well maybe if someone besides me remembered that Joy was missing and helped me prove that the 'great American duo' has something to do with it we'd get everything to go back to normal!" Patricia cried.

"Stop it Patricia you don't have to be such a witch!" Fabian yelled back clearly done with his friend's cruel ways. "We all care about and miss Joy but there is no logical reason to think something horrible happened to her!"

"You only say that because you hope she's gone so you can get together with Nina!" Patricia cried before storming off to school. Once she had cleared out and an awkward silence settled over the room Eddie stood.

"Well I have to go and find some excuse for not having my biology assignment because knowing Sweety he won't accept me never being assigned it as an excuse."

"We should all really get to class," Fabian told us before standing himself. "Nina why don't we walk together so you don't get lost and miss first period again." See that was teasing I could take, true banter, not Patricia's malicious words she called a joke.

"So, besides the missing roommate and cruel best friend how are you liking England?" Fabian asked nervously as we strolled towards the school building.

"Oh it's great," I lied with my best cheerful voice. Actually since coming here I'd been miserable, but Fabian had been relatively nice and I didn't want him to think I was just another whiny teen.

"Naw we've been awful, "Fabian confessed with a smile. "But I promise it will get better."

"Thanks, um for walking with me," I told Fabian awkwardly outside the biology room. "It was nice."

* * *

"Hey Nina… I just wanted to say, sorry, about breakfast." What? Did Patricia Williamson just apologize for one of the many horrible things she's done to me over the past two days?  
"It's fine," I lied with a smile. "A little teasing helps the tea and toast go down." I told her moving quickly in the other direction.

"I think it's about time we welcome you and Eddie into the school properly," Patricia, with Alfie and Jerome nodding behind her, said. "The traditional way."

"What are you going on about?" Fabian asked shaking his head.

"Aflie," Patricia continued like Fabian didn't exist. "Why don't you tell Nina about the initiation ceremony."

"Oh I've got to hear this," Eddie, who'd been sitting on the other side of the room, said with a grin. "Go on. What do we have to do?"

"Every new person who comes to the school has to undergo a like.. initiation ceremony," Alfie told us grinning with laughter.

"Since when?" Fabian cried just as Eddie responded.

"Sounds fun. What do we have to do?"

"Well you slimeball you and Nina have to go into Victor's office and steal the attic key. Then tonight you both have to go up and bring something down."

"Really you don't have to do this," Fabian insisted. "There is no such thing as an Anubis house Initiation.

"Don't worry about it," Eddie told him with a grin. "Nina and I will have a ball."

"Yeah," I lied with a smile. "Sounds like fun." Actually, it sounded like a plan Patricia had cocked up to get Eddie and I expelled but whatever. When we did it and didn't get caught she'd have no more excuses left to mess with us.

* * *

"So Nina and Eddie's initiation will take place tonight at midnight," Patricia confirmed causing Alfie to rub his hands together in evil pleasure.

"The witching hour," he reminded us. "How perfect."

"Cut it out Alfie," Fabian groaned causing Jerome to roll his eyes.

"Tell me Fabian does it ever get annoying to always be the one saying 'cut it out' or 'that's not right fun is bad'." Fabian along with all my fellow class members laughed at Jerome's joke, but I sat worried about what I'd gotten in to. If I didn't this then no one would let me live it down, but if I did I'd be in so much trouble. Knowing Patricia she'd probably designed it specifically for me to get caught.

"No," Fabain finally told him with a condescending head nod.

"You must be mad," Jerome replied with a final chuckle and a shake of his head.

"What do they have to do?" Amber, who hadn't been around earlier, wondered (proving we were the first to have to do this by the way.)

"Go up in the attic and bring something down to prove they went," Alfie said with a knowing grin.

"Sure, why not?" I told her fake smile and all. "It's not like it's…"

"Totally haunted," Amber assured me. Anyone else and I would think they were pulling my leg, but to be honest Amber probably did believe it was haunted.

Still, just because someone believes something is haunted that doesn't mean it is. Ghosts exist just as much as mysterious destinies proclaimed by mad old women. **((A/N #Where's Senkarah when you need her?))**

"Well I love a good ghost," Eddie announced setting his feet on the table like people weren't trying to eat. "But if you're too scared Nina I'll go up alone."

"Of course I'm not scared of some ghosts." (Why would I be scared of fictional ghosts when I could be scared of a very real and very angry Victor?) "But how are we supposed to get up there when Victor keeps it locked?"

"Simple," Patricia explained with a cruel smirk. "There's a key box on the wall in Victor's office. One of you distracts Victor while the other steals the keys."

"Easy," Eddie told me a smiling stretching from ear to ear. "Victor! Victor! Where are you? You were supposed to help me bury Joy's dead body! Victor I need help she's heavy!"

Taking Eddie's nonsense as my cue to go I snuck from the common room past a fuming Victor. While he went into the kitchen to scream at and subsequently punish Eddie I swiftly flew up the stairs to Victor's unlocked office. The box sat on the wall exactly where Patricia told me it would, but I found to my disappointment that I needed a key to open the key box. _I wonder if he keeps a spare key to open the key box in the key box? _It was a stupid time for such a trivial thought, but it brought a smile to my face. Looking around the room, I quickly saw a pile of keys. Knowing that one of them must open the box I fumbled quickly trying to find the one that matched up. On my second try I opened the box, grabbed the key labeled attic, dropped the key chain back on Victor's desk, and fled over to my room.

I saw Victor dragging Eddie by the ear (literally) when I exited the room. When he saw me a confused look crossed his face before he spoke, "Miss Martin what are you doing up here? I thought I just saw you downstairs."

Thinking quickly I flashed him a confused smile of my own, "No I was just in my room doing homework when I heard shouting about Joy's body. I assume that was a joke."

"Yes, yes," Victor told me absentmindedly, "But not one that will be taken lightly." Well Eddie was about to be murdered, that much was clear. "NOW I WANT EVERYONE BACK IN THEIR ROOMS. IMMEDIATELY!"

I had no desire to fight him so instead I flashed my tormentors a quick look at the key before smiling and heading into my room to actually do the homework I said I'd done.

Finally something at this boarding school had gone right.


	5. Chapter 5

I wrote this differently to see what's faster/works better. So tell Me if you think this chapter or the others are written better. Also, there is a lot of dramatic irony in this so… feel free to scream.

* * *

Chapter 5

"Hey Nina, you got the key right?" Eddie's voice came thundering from behind me as he rushed down the hall to catch me before I entered History.

"Yeah, it's under my pillow," I assured him. After all, I don't like Eddie, but he must have been in big trouble for the distraction he caused so I could get into Victor's office. "Victor didn't punish you too bad, right?"

Eddie waved it off like he'd had worse (which, if the rumors of multiple expulsions were true, he had). "I have to scrub a few toilets with a toothbrush, medieval I know, but I'm all ready for our attic trip tonight. Should be fun." Eddie would be the kind to see breaking the rules as fun. Me on the other hand… I liked rules firmly intact. Still, I had two options-do this or leave the school and I wasn't leaving the school "Hey, I know you don't really know her but you are a girl," wow nice of him to notice. "Well do you know if Amber flirts with everyone like she does me?"

Wait, wasn't Amber dating Mick? Why would she flirt with Eddie? I mean sure, Eddie's hot, but Mick seems like a relatively nice guy. Why would Amber cheat on him?

"Apparently Mick gave both Amber and Mara the same bracelet," Eddie explained with a roll of his eyes (like Eddie wouldn't be dumb enough to do the same thing). "She gave it back to him and then told me how she was sure American boys do it better than that and that maybe she'd just have to see."

If it was anyone but Amber I wouldn't have even considered that a flirt, but with Amber everything was a flirt. "Maybe she was just trying to make Mick jealous or something." I suggested with a shrug. Before taking my seat, however, I turned back to Eddie, "Just don't play into it alright. The only one who will end up getting hurt is Mick and he is your roommate."

"Never dream of it," Eddie responded as he leaned back in his chair. "Besides I don't do dumb."

I was about to defend Amber's intelligence when a voice from behind me spoke, "All the world's a stage." Turning I noticed that the guy in the back row with a book in hand and feet on the best wasn't a student as I assumed but an attractive young man. "And the men and women merely players," he concluded. Stepping to the front of the room he continued,"Hey, my name is Jason Winkler and I'm your new history teacher." He chuckled a bit at all the drooling girls before finishing, "I will also be teaching drama."

" You're Mr. Flemings replacement," a clearly awed Mara asked. I hadn't actually met the teacher who had a heart attack second day of school, but from what I heard he was old, bald, and boring. Mr. Winkler surely would be nothing like him.

"Yeah, that's right," the young teacher responded with a smile as he made his way up the desks studying each of our faces in an attempt to learn them.

"Wow, I'm so pleased he had a heart attack." Amber's words were so hilariously inappropriate that I felt myself laugh for the first time since I arrived in this country. A sense of relief fell upon me as I realized that after tonight I'd be accepted and this joy would be all that was left. "Sorry, that didn't come out right," and embarrassed Amber finished sitting up a bit taller.

While the learning itself wasn't as interesting as our original conversation, the spring in Mr. Winkler's step assured us that this, teaching, was the only thing he wanted to do for the rest of his life even if he had many long years ahead of him.

My good mood lasted until biology when Fabian noticed me fiddling with the necklace Sarah/ Emily had given me. Something about it just drew me in and made it so I just couldn't put the locket down. "That's nice, does it have a photo inside," Fabian whispered.

Quickly, I remembered Sarah's warning not to show anyone the locket or I'd have it taken away, so I snapped,"No!"

"I'm sorry I was only making conversation," an embarrassed Fabian asked sitting back. I went to apologize, but Mr. Sweet had heard what is said and come back over towards us.

"Mr. Rutter," he chastened "Silentius est aureum-silence is golden."

"Mr. Sweet," Patricia, who'd been sitting in the back silently said. "I've been meaning to ask you about the school photo." I didn't know what exactly she was talking about, but if experience taught me anything I knew she probably was about to bring Joy up again.

"I fail to see how that applies to paschal law," Mr. Sweet answered trying to bring us back to science. Patricia, however, is not one to be deterred.

"Why has Joy been erased from the photo?"

"Okay, someone needs to get her meds checked out," I heard Eddie mutter from one side of the room.

"Ut oh crazy conspiracy alert," Alfie cried from besides his friend. As much as the boy played along with taunting me, it seemed he didn't think Joy was kidnapped or dead the way Patricia did.

"That is a ridiculous notion Patricia," Mr. Sweet answered calmly and I had to agree. She'd said lots of ridiculous things these past few days, but the idea that Joy would be taken out of a school photo was insane. That would mean the school was trying to pretend she didn't exist. Patricia didn't honestly think the school was involved, did she?

Before anything else could be said, the bell rang signaling the end of class. Slowly gathering my books I caught sight of Fabian leaving the room and dashed over towards him," Fabian wait! I'm sorry if I acted weird before you've been so nice to me and it was kind of…"

"Rude?" Fabian suggested rudely.

Startled by his bluntness I was taken aback as I replied, "Well I was going to say snippy but yeah okay rude works too."

"It's okay," Fabian told me with a smile before quickly changing the subject. "Look you're not seriously going to go through with this initiation nonsense are you? You don't have to you know."

"Yeah I do," I told him honestly. "They'll never let me live it down if they think I'm scared."

"She's right," Eddie, who'd been inside getting lectured about his lack of effort by Mr. Sweet said. "Plus, it will be fun. Dark, off limits, haunted attics? What could possibly be better?"

I walked into the drama room to find a mad Alfie buzzing around like a fool. Annoyed, Amber slapped him with a magazine, "What are you even pretending to be?"

"Mosquito in spin dryer!" Alfie replied with a boyish giggle. "Isn't it obvious?"

Amused, but trying not to show it, Mr. Winkler started talking about Romeo and Juliet while passing out copies of the timeless tragedy. I sat listening intently until I heard Amber talking next to me, "See, I was right. There is an article in here that says if your boyfriend isn't paying you enough attention you have to flirt with someone else to make him jealous." Ah. So that's why Amber flirted with Eddie in front of Mick. The world makes sense again. Before I could say anything to my housemate cautioning her about jealousy, Mr. Winkler took the magazine and assigned her to play Juliet and, you guessed it, Eddie to play Romeo.

Amber looked nervous as she read through the balcony scene, and when she started to change the words I knew why. "Thou art truly the yummiest boy I have ever seen Romeo!" With a sly glance at Mick, Amber pulled Eddie into a tight kiss letting it linger to the point Mr. Winkler had to go and break them up.

"That's not in the script Amber," he told her steadily. (But his face said he thought it should be.)

"I don't know," Eddie said wiping both the kiss and the surprise from his face. "If every play was like this I'd certainly become an actor!"

To no one's surprise, dinner was an awkward affair. Mick wouldn't talk to Amber after the whole kiss fiasco. Amber tried flirting with Eddie, but he ignored her and was having quite the conversation with Mara. (And that only made Amber madder.) The rest of us sat in silence watching the drama unfold and waiting for midnight when Patricia's evil scheme could be set in motion."

* * *

"Are you Nina Martin and Eddie Miller?" Patricia asked in a ghastly voice.

"Um, yes," I replied unsure of where the girl (who'd thought to shine a flashlight in her face) was going.

"No, actually my name is Edison Sweet and I'm the headmaster's son," Eddie replied sarcastically. "Of course my name is Eddie Miller!"

"Is there anyone here who can confirm this?" Patricia continued like she hadn't heard Eddie's snark.

"Me?" I suggested with a shake of my head. Eddie, who thought this was ridiculous, just gave a look that caused Patricia to move on.

"Nina martin and Eddie Miller. You are here to prove you are brave enough to live at Anubis house swear on the graves of all your ancestors that you will never, ever tell a living soul about tonight," Patricia told us. Considering that the only person I knew who wasn't hear was Gran, I didn't really have anyone to tell, but I played along.

"I swear," I replied in turn with Eddie. Pleased with her success Patricia and the others, (who all had the equally ridiculous flashlights shining on their faces), led us into the hallway.

"Oh spirits of Anubis house guide the new kids on their initiation quest and keep them from harm in the haunted attic," Patricia prayed ominously. In a way, I was grateful for how hard she was trying to scare me. It was so stupidly funny I only felt light.

"Come on, this is ridiculous," Fabian pleaded of his friend. "You've had your fun now let's get back to bed."

"I'm not going back to bed," Eddie assured us. "I'm doing this. You coming Nina?"

"Why not," I told him with a toothless smile. "Best way to survive in the dangerous world of British boarding schools is to play along, I guess."

Unlocking the attic door with the key I'd stolen, Eddie led his way up. Just as my foot passed the doorway, I heard it slam behind me. Turning I went to re-open it and found that it had been locked.

"Unlock the door Patricia," an annoyed Eddie called through the door. Outside the attic I could hear voices as my sane housemates tried to get Patricia to let us out.

"Not until you tell us what you know about Joy's disappearance!" Patricia cried. Seriously? Why did she think we knew anything? We hadn't even been in this country when Joy's parents decided to pick her up!

"Cut it out Patricia," I cried. "We don't know anything!"

"Then you'll have to stay in there 'till morning," Patricia answered in her most obnoxious sing-song voice. "Last chance newbies. What can you tell me about Joy?"

"Come on," Eddie, who was tired of the game, decided. "Let's get our objects and then when she finally comes to her senses we'll be fine."

I was about to reply when I heard a new voice coming from the other side of the door. "What's all this noise?" Victor asked.

"Hide!" I mouthed to Eddie as I silently dashed up the stairs and searched for a place where we'd be safe. With one look, however, I knew we were about to be expelled. The attic was covered in ancient artifacts, but there wasn't a single pile large enough to hide one person, never mind two.

And, to make it worse, Victor's footsteps were getting closer.


	6. Chapter 6

I have a 2 hour car ride tomorrow so I will have plenty of time to write "Unwanted Allegiance" then so how about another chapter now that I've stopped procrastinating?

Oh an guests, thanks and I plan on writing this as long as people are reading this…

* * *

Chapter 6

Knowing we were about to be discovered, I found myself dashing behind boxes. "This way," Eddie whispered pointing to a small indent in the wall. "It's shaped like your necklace. Maybe it's a key."

With no other options presenting itself I jammed the locket into the hole and found Eddie and myself falling into a room a stone door sliding close behind us. Crap! Now Victor wouldn't find us, but we'd die trapped because no one could find us! "Oh my God, oh my God," I started muttering on the verge of hyperventilation. Before I could reveal our location to Victor with my noice, I felt Eddie's hand press against my mouth.

The boy pulled me close to him in an attempt to keep me quite before whispering in my ear, "We'll find a way out. After Victor leaves." Once he was confident I had calmed down enough to stay silent I felt his grip on me loosen and I went over to the door.

"He's gone," I told Eddie sighing in relief. "Now let's figure out how to get out of here."

"Um… Nina… look," turning around I saw the boy staring with an open mouth at a little stone key-hole like the one outside. This one, however, wouldn't just fit my necklace. Almost as if it detected the presence of its key the stone tablet was glowing, rays of red light shooting off in every direction. Lifting the locket in my hands I noticed that the inner piece-the iris of the eye- was glowing a matching shade of red and releasing the slightest humming. "What the hell is making it do that?" Eddie wondered stepping closer to me and the magical necklace.

No. I didn't just say magical. I don't believe in magic, so why would I say magical? There's no such thing as magic! "Nina," Eddie stammered, "I think your necklace is magic."

"Don't be ridiculous," I told him pressing the locket into the lock. "It's just mechanics, see, lifts and pulls responding to a key." The door had swung open with the help of some old technology, and as we returned back into the main attic I felt the wind of fresh air like an inmate's first breath of freedom.

"I wasn't around of course, but do most 19th century houses have keys that glow in the presence of their lock?" Eddie wondered sarcastically. "No? Then I'm going to go with magic locket."

"Okay, so I have a magic locket," I stated in an attempt to convince myself that this was somehow not another nightmare. "I wonder if it has something to do with how Sarah knew my name."

"Probably," Eddie told me like the thought had also crossed his mind. "We should go back tomorrow and ask her about it… if she's coherent this time."

"She's old," I reminded him gently. "Sometimes it's hard."

"Sorry," he told me clearly remembering I'd been raised by my gran. "I'm just not good with the idea of 'time' and 'death'. Guess that makes me a fool, right."

"No," I answered honestly and with a slight smile. "It makes you human. Come on, we should go and see if they've unlocked the door yet."

Before I could move however Eddie grabbed my arm, "What's the rush? We're up here anyways so why not grab a few things, look around a bit. Maybe there's a magic jewelry box to go with the magic necklace." I doubted that, but Eddie was right. I should make the most of this trip because I was never, ever, coming up here again.

"Hey, Nina, can I see that locket of yours?" Eddie asked from the secret room where we hid. "I want to see if there was anything else in that room worth seeing."

I remembered what Sarah had said about protecting the necklace, but she also said something about Eddie protecting me so she must have trusted him. Reluctantly, I handed over the necklace and he pressed it against the wall, "What the heck?" I heard him mutter. "It doesn't work!"

"Don't be ridiculous," I told him going over, grabbing the locket, and opening the door right up. "See, you can't fool me that easily."

"No I'm serious Nina!" Eddie insisted. "The locket didn't work for me… it only works for you."

He wasn't lying, that I knew, but why? Why would this magic locket only work for me of all people? Why did Sarah know my name? Why did she think Eddie needed to protect me? What did I need protecting from?

"Let's go," I told Eddie as a caught a glance of a creepy painting with glowing red eyes in my peripheral vision. "I have a bobby pin- we can pick the lock."

Once the door finally sprung open I fell forward and almost landed on top of Amber and Fabian. Terror filled both of their faces so I stammered, "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost?"

"How did you…" Amber stuttered pointing to the door. Holding up the bobby pin I shrugged and smiled.

"Are you guys okay?" Fabian whispered so not to wake Victor up, again.

"Of course we're okay," Eddie assured him a bit too loud as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "Nothing to see here, let's get back to bed."

"Did you see any ghosts?" Amber questioned with a worried excitement.

I shook my head, "Nope, nothing out of the ordinary at all." Except for the magical locket that only works for me but…

"You are so brave," Amber told me with a nod of a head. "Though I'm sure Eddie would have kept you safe anyways." As Amber foolishly batted her eyebrows I wanted to remind her that Mick wasn't around to get jealous, but decided against it. Maybe Eddie and Amber would get together and then I wouldn't be faced with his impossible questions.

We all went our separate ways and off to bed, but I could only wonder what I'd tell Eddie in the morning. We had to go see Sarah, that's for sure, but I also didn't want to. I didn't want to know what was going on because once I knew I knew and there was no going back.

* * *

I arrived downstairs to a round of applause from everyone but a still angry Patricia, "I told them it was all me," Eddie said with a cockeyed smile. "But for some reason your bobby pin means you get all the credit."

"We were certain Victor was going to get you," Jerome confessed like he wouldn't have cared much either way.

"Yes Victor," Alfie repeated with a smile, "Or the flesh eating zombies."

"No zombies, just rat bones," I assured him with a smile. Catching my eye, Eddie winked to remind me that we both knew there was plenty up in that attic. Sure, there were bones and boxes, but there was also mystery hiding in the dusty layers.

"Even you have to admit they passed their initiation with flying colors," I heard Fabian tell Patricia. The others all seemed to have accepted us after our amazing feat, but Patricia hadn't even spoken to me never mind apologized.

"No," Patricia scowled. "They didn't bring anything down, did they?"

"Well, actually," I told her with an *I win* smile as I showed the dusty old book and Eddie revealed the ragged old doll he'd taken.

"My gosh Eddie it's gorgeous!" Amber cried grabbing the doll and wiping the dust off. "Can I have it?"

"Um, sure," Eddie told her awkwardly. "I have no use for it. I just thought it was creepy."

"How could anything this beautiful be creepy?" Amber asked wiping its face with a cloth.

"Children," Jerome decided slinging his bag over his head as he headed out the door for classes. "I live with children."

* * *

"Hey Nina!" I heard Fabian and Eddie cry together as I set off towards classes.

"Oh, sorry," Fabian stammered looking at the blond boy. "Did you need Nina for something?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Eddie decided flashing a *we'll talk later* glance in my direction. "Um just remember after school what we talked about last night…"

"Sure thing," I told Eddie turning away and heading off with only Fabian besides me.

"What are you two doing after school?" Fabian asked before realizing he was being rude. "Sorry. None of my business, is it?"

"No, no nothing like that," I assured Fabian who seemed to be thinking Eddie and I had a date. "We just met this little old lady the other day and were going to check up on her."

"Oh, good," Fabian told me like that was the best thing he'd heard all day. "Um so Nina would you… I mean would you like to… would you fancy we walk over to classes together?" Fabian finally got out.

"Sure," I told him truly happy at his offer. "I'd 'fancy' that." Laughing awkwardly I continued, "Sorry, this all just takes some getting used to…" Why was Fabian in the bushes? "Okay but this is weird even for England."

"No, no, wait," Fabian begged desperately. "I'm just looking for something."

"That much I gathered," I told him honestly. Generally if people are on the ground in a pile of bushes they're looking for something, but what?

"Yes!" Fabian cried standing up and showing me the attic key I hadn't even known was missing. At least that explained why no one had let me out last night, someone (cough cough Patricia) had thrown the key out the window. "I've got it."

Giggling, I pulled out a leaf that had been stuck in his hair before offering it over, "unless you wanted that there." Chuckling, Fabian studied the key.

"I think this had better make its way up to Victor's key box," Fabian decided causing me to twinge with guilt.

"No… actually," I answered pulling the key from his hand. "Because I'm going to need this when I go back into the attic." Eddie and I could talk to Sarah after school, but as he said last night we were guaranteed no answers. Our best bet would be to go back upstairs and see if we could find something that could point us in the right direction.

"You're going back up into the attic?" Fabian repeated dubiously. I understood his confusion, but I didn't know how to explain why I wanted to explore further.

"It didn't sound so crazy until I said it out loud," I confessed reluctantly. The plan did seem ridiculous, but after what happened last night… I needed to know.

"But why would you risk getting caught, again?" Fabian wondered as we began our walk towards the school.

"Even though I was terrified when I was up there," I began in an attempt to explain the best I could. "It was the first time since I've been here that I wasn't thinking about Gran, or trying to get Patricia to like me… and I just really need to know."

"Need to know what?" Fabian inquired and I realized I'd said more than I should. Still, I couldn't take back my words now.

"If I saw something up there," I admitted fully aware that it would sound crazy. Still, Eddie had seen the lights coming from my necklace too. Maybe we were scared and hallucinating, but why had we both seen the same thing?

"Saw something? "Fabian repeated as if he believed me but didn't know what I meant.

I considered brushing him off and saying I was kidding, but for some unknown reason I trusted Fabian and wanted him to know. "I know it sounds crazy, but what if there really is something weird about Joy's disappearance? About this house?" Fabian shook his head and backed away, clearly thinking all of the teasing had driven me mad, so I brushed it off. "Yeah, You're right. It's crazy, Just a trick of the darkness… that's all."

"Nina. I don't think you're crazy," Fabian told me as we entered the school after a few minutes of silent walking. "What exactly happened."

Despite my better judgment saying it should remain a secret, I told Fabian what had happened with my locket. "So this panel just opened when your necklace hit it?" Fabian confirmed as we sat down in first period.

"Sort of," I told him thinking about how the locket lit up for me but didn't work for Eddie. "There were other things."

"What other things?" Fabian prompted with a smile. However, I was done talking and let out a weak shrug. "You're a real girl of mystery aren't you." He decided with a chuckle. "Look, if you're going up there again… then I'm coming with you. I can't let you recruit skater boy Eddie after all and that is that."

"Wow, that was forceful," I told him unsure how to feel about his insistence he helped. Sure, it was nice he wanted to be around me, but if Fabian came with me he'd see the light and be terrified. I was terrified.

"I'm not letting you say no," he reminded me with a laugh. "You can trust me Nina, I promise."

"Okay," I finally decided. "But remember when things get weird that you volunteered." Clearly excited to break from his good boy habits, Fabian beamed at the idea of breaking the rules and uncovering the truth behind the mystery of my locket. I considered inviting him to come and see Sarah too, but decided against it when I saw Eddie's cautionary look. Sarah told me to be careful, so careful I would be.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Eddie and I never did make it to the old people home to visit Sarah, or Emily, or whatever her name was, because Eddie had to serve his detention for Victor. As much as I wanted answers, I'd promised Eddie I wouldn't go without him and I kept my promises. Instead, I did my work, and waited nervously for 11 O'clock when Fabian and I had agreed to go up into the attic. I knew that red light was real and not a figment of my imagination, but I couldn't help but worry. The only thing worse than getting caught by Victor would be for the light not to work again and for Fabian to think I was an attention seeking liar.

A little before 10 Patricia finally came into our room and got ready for bed. Since storming off in the morning she'd barely said 10 words to anyone, and not a single peep to me. To be honest, I didn't mind- I prefer silence than more berating.

"It's 10 o'clock!" I finally heard Victor cry in his usual fashion. "You have 5 minutes and then I want to hear a pin," clang, "drop."

I spent the next hour sitting in the dark and silence of my room waiting for Fabian to arrive. As I stared at the ceiling I contemplated everything that had happened since my arrival. Unortunatly, Patricia being mean to me was the only thing I understood. Mean people was something I'd dealt with my entire life, but mysterious old ladies and magic necklaces… that was definitely a new one.

At 11 PM exactly I heard the slight knock on my door and slid out of bed to meet Fabian. "You ready?" I asked him with a sly grin. He nodded nervously in reply, so I went ahead and unlocked the door to the attic with my stolen key.

As we ascended into the attic, I twinged at the sound of each creeping board. Getting caught alone would be disastrous, but if Fabian got in trouble because he was interested in me… that would be the worst. Still it was nice to know he was interested (despite the fact I doubted he was interested, interested.)

"Do you want a torch?" he asked noticing how dark it was.

I shot the boy a *why on earth would I* look before answering without the least bit of sarcasm. "Um… I don't think setting fire to the place will help us now."

To my surprise Fabian just chuckled and turned on a flashlight. Oh…right.

"Did you hear that?" I asked flipping around towards the stairs where I heard the slightest creak. "Do you think it's Victor?" I whispered.

Fabian strained his ears but didn't seem to hear anything, "Probably just a rat," he assured. "Victor wouldn't be quite if he was coming up here to yell at us." Confident that his words were true, I went over to the wall to show Fabian what happened when I used the necklace.

"You ready?" I asked him with a tentative smile… if this didn't work…

But it did. The minute I picked up my locket the eye started to glow in proximity to its lock. "Wow," Fabian muttered. "I didn't really believe you but… wow."

"Yeah," I told him with a nod of the head, "It's freaky, right." Just as I finished speaking the stone door slid open and a pair of red eyes appeared causing Fabian to scream louder than me.

It's just a portrait," a voice told us from by the staircase. Turning around, I saw an annoyed Eddie leaning coolly against the wall. "I noticed it yesterday, but don't worry Fabian. I won't tell anyone that you screamed like a girl."

"What are you even doing here?" I wondered of the boy even though I had a pretty good idea of what happened.

"Fabian woke me up as he snuck out," Eddie confirmed. "I just waited a minute and then followed. I figured you'd invited him up here. Do you invite all of your boyfriends up here to show off Nina?" the boy teased.

"He's not my boyfriend," I answered trying not to sound as disappointed as I felt. "And you most definitely aren't either," I reminded with a look of annoyance.

"It doesn't matter," Fabian interrupted. "Can you help me get this picture off of the wall?" Eddie went over to help and once they brought the portrait into the light I realized something.

"I know her!" Opening up my necklace I compared the two pictures. "Look, it's the same girl. I wonder who it is."

"Probably Sarah," Eddie pointed out like ti was the most obvious assumption (which it kind of was.) "I mean she says she used to live here, and since she has a necklace that opens doors around he I'd bet she was telling the truth."

"I'm sorry," Fabian muttered as he shook his head in confusion. "Who's Sarah?"

"She's the old women we met yesterday," I explained. "She gave me the necklace… I would have told you but she said to keep it a secret."

"And she says she used to live here," Fabian noted with surprise. "She'd have to be a Frobisher-Smythe then, right? I didn't think they had any kids."

"Aren't the Smythe's the ones Victor said died really young," Eddie asked remembering what Victor had told us on our first day. "Maybe they had a young daughter who grew up to be Sarah. She does seem about the right age."

As we were talking, Fabian had gone to re-hang the picture on the wall. As he turned it however I noticed something on the back. "What, what's that?"

"They look like Egyptian hieroglyphics," Fabian noticed. I saw Eddie flashing me a *geek* look, but I thought it was cool that Fabian knew things like that.

"You know Sarah said there was treasure hidden in this house," Eddie recalled. "Aren't Egyptian's famous for hiding treasure?"

"What kind of treasure," Fabian inquired as her took a picture of the writing.

"Well I'm not even sure of her own name so she wasn't that specific," I admitted. Sarah had been confused, but with each passing moment her story seemed to be validating itself.

"If we needed to go back before we definitely need to go back now," Eddie decided firmly. "But come on, we should get to bed before Victor discovers and subsequently murders us."

The next morning at breakfast was even more filled with awkward relationships than the other night's dinner. Mick and Amber still weren't talking, so the blonde was flirting with Eddie again. At wit's end with the girl's giggling, Eddie turned to a studying Mara, "I know we haven't talked much, but you're really pretty Mara. Would you like to go out with me?"

A chorus of 'burn' rang out from the Alfie-Jerome side of the table as Amber, furious, stormed out of the room. Mara looked nervously between Mick and Eddie before letting out a weak smile, "Sure Eddie. Sounds like fun."

"I didn't realize Eddie even likes Mara," Fabian noted as we walked over to school together.

"I don't think he does," I confessed. "I think he's just hoping that with Mara out of the picture Amber and Mick will get back together and she'll stop bothering him. Now Mara, Mara I think only said yes because she's hoping to have the opposite effect on Mick. If Amber's going to play the jealousy game, then so is she."

"You're good at relationships aren't you?" Fabian told me and I almost laughed in his face. Me and relationships don't really go well in the same sentence. If they did then I'd have gotten Fabian to ask me out already _unless he just doesn't like you._

Don't you just love the insecure subconscious?

* * *

Good news... I'm almost completely off book which means it's time for the real fun to start! Also, if you see mean reviews from notdaniel anywhere ignore them... he's my brother and a complete troll. I think he's just bugging me but I never know with him.


	8. Chapter 8

Question, now that play has started my updates will be less and more sporadic so would you prefer me to post things when I write them or to save chapters so I only ever post one a day but post almost daily?

* * *

Chapter 8

"So we're still sneaking out this lunchtime, yeah," Fabian confirmed the next morning looking a bit tired, but none the worse for the wear.

"You're getting really good at this sneaking around stuff," I told him with a smile. It was sad, but both of us, the 'good kids' were getting good at this sneaking around stuff… still there was a mystery going on that seemed to be up to us to solve.

"Learning from the best," Fabian told me in a compliment that would have been an insult even if Eddie hadn't pushed his face in between the two of us.

"Aww thanks Fabian, you're so sweet," he teased while grabbing a muffin from between us. "But I knew I was fantastic already."

Well, this mystery was up to us and Eddie-the guy I couldn't shake and Sarah seemed to think was going to protect me. (How he'd protect me after he choked to death from stuffing his mouth I wasn't exactly sure… the guy acted like a child sometimes.)

"Whisper, whisper, whisper ," Patricia commented spitefully drawing out the 's' like a snake. "Very cozy Eddie, but don't you have a girlfriend?"

"Mara went to school early, and she's not technically my girlfriend… we're just dating."

"If she's a girl, and you're a guy, and you're dating than she's your girlfriend, dufus," Patricia criticized, but Eddie's words had thrown her off enough that when he left without another word he'd still won.

"Let's go," Fabian told me not wanting Patricia to return her attention to what she always did when Eddie wasn't around to fight with-bullying me.

Patricia, however, was in an even worse mood now that Eddie one-uped her, "Since when did you become her friend instead of mine, Fabian?"

The blow was low, but Fabian's response cut much deeper,"Since you became such a witch, Patricia."

After both of my friends who just happen to be boys stormed out I turned to the mean girl."He can be both of our friends," I suggested in an attempt to call a truce.

Unfortunately, like my many attempts before, my white flag was burn as soon as it reached Patricia's hands, "Not likely."

In first period history Mr. Winkler sat relaxed on his desk. "Can we sit on our desks too?" Alfie asked hopefully, but the teacher laughed and shook his head.

"With me it's called being a 'progressive teacher'," he explained. "With a student however it's called 'detention'." As the bell rang we talked about a variety of subjects before finally finishing the class with a discussion about our long term project. "So have you guys given any more thoughts to your ancient history projects yet? Mick?"

"I'm working on the history of the roman gladiatorial games," he told flashing a jealous glance towards Eddie (who, though she wasn't technically his girlfriend) had his arm around Mara.

Mr. Winkler, oblivious to the relationship drama, replied that Mick's choice was excellent before scanning the room for who to call on next. "What about you Fabian?"

"Me and Nina thought we might do something on Egyptian mythology," Fabian told him as we'd discussed. That way, as we studied hieroglyphics to understand the message on the painting, we killed two birds with one stone.

"Yes especially with Anubis house being named after an Egyptian god," I explained not mentioning the other reasons. (Like the fact that we had an Egyptian mystery of our own.)

"Nice one," Mr. Winkler replied beaming. "You know I'm a particular fan of Egyptian mythology all that interest in life after death and living forever."

"Ugg who'd want to live forever? Imagine how wrinkled you'd get!" Amber cried serious and shallow (in a good way) as ever.

While the rest of the class laughed, I heard only a slight scoff from Mick he seemed annoyed by the girl's lack of apology for flirting with Eddie. Poor Amber.

* * *

"Hello, can I come in?" I asked slowly opening Sarah's door to make sure she wasn't asleep. The old women seemed confused for a moment as to who her visitors were, but quickly enough she recognized Eddie and me.

"Oh it's you!" She cried cheerfully before settling down to business, "Have you found it yet?"

"Your treasure? No, we came to ask you were it was," Eddie prompted clearly not wanting to stay a while and visit.

"You won't let him find it, will you?" Sarah asked gently before becoming more violent and grabbing my collar. "Promise you won't let him find it?"

"We won't let him find it," Eddie told her prying her wrinkled fingers from my shirt before Sarah choked me. Once I could breath and Sarah seemed to forget about her outburst, I moved on to the questions of my own.

"Sarah, who's this?" I asked showing her the locket version of the picture we'd found in the attic.

Sarah smiled as she looked between the two pictures, "Oh is it you?"

I couldn't help but smile at the cuteness that came as a sad side affect to age, "Oh it's not me." I assured her, "She's way to cute."

It looks like you," Sarah repeated before looking past Eddie and seeing Fabian for the first time, "Who's that?"

"It's Fabian," I assured the frantic women calmly. "Sarah meet Fabian."

"You mustn't let him see it!" She cried in a mad whisper. "Quickly, hide it."

"I'm hiding it. I'm hiding it." I told her calmly as I stuffed the necklace back into my shirt so Fabian couldn't see it as she wished. I didn't understand why Eddie and I could know of the locket, but not Fabian. Still, it was best to keep Sarah happy if we wanted to get any information from her. "It's gone. It's alright Sarah everything is going to be alright." I assured her.

"Good," Sarah decided looking around to make sure the room didn't hold any more enemies (Fabian had gone back to the doorway where she couldn't see him and freak out again. "The black bird is watching the house. You have to be careful," she reminded me

Fabian must have heard the story of my nightmare, but it wasn't until then that he realized the black bird thing came from Sarah. "Black bird," he muttered like the dominoes were almost in place but just a hair out of line.

Eddie and I both tried to get Sarah to answer more questions, but she seemed to have shut down after her panic attack. Finally decided that it was useless we returned from school and sat in the common room.

"This book rocks it's got a whole section on Egyptian hieroglyphics," I told Fabian flipping through one of the reference books Mr. Winkler had provided as help for our project. Realizing that what I said was really dorky I laughed awkwardly, "That doesn't sound very cool does it."

Fabian however, hadn't heard anything I said. Looking at locket he spoke, "She's right. This definitely looks like you."

"No she doesn't," I insisted as a roughly grabbed the locket from Fabian's hand. For some reason, I knew I didn't want to be the girl in the photo or anything like her. I just knew in my gut she was a girl accustomed to trouble… and not the fun kind either.

"Yes it does look it's got the same pretty eyes," Fabian insisted causing me to blush.

"My eyes are pretty, huh," realizing just how awkward repeating his words made it I shifted the topic of conversation back to our mystery. "Possibly a passing resemblance but the fact is that we still don't know anything about the girl in the picture or the treasure or Sarah's connection to the house or if she's even called Sarah!"

"Well the last one is definitely a priority," Eddie told us sarcastically as he made his way from where he'd been talking to Mara. "You need to talk softer if you don't want to be over heard," he chastened before moving on far too quickly to actually care if anyone heard what we said. "At least we know the locket is Sarah and that at some point she was at Anubis house. How else would her locket magically open the doors." I wanted to remind Eddie that the door opening was science and that the only magic was the light that only worked for me. Luckily, I decided not to bring up the weird part of our mystery.

"What if the girl in the picture is Sarah?" I suggested at the same time Fabian suggested "What if the blackbird is Cobierre?"

"Well if I'm supposed to protect Nina from a stuffed bird we have some serious zombie issues," Eddie decided with a grin.

"It is a bit weird though-all this black bird stuff and then Victor has a raven in his office at Anubis house where we know Sarah once went," I pointed out.

Eddie gave me a *are you kidding me* look before speaking again, "Nina, you have a magic glowing necklace. This whole thing is weird."

Well… he did have a point.


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry for disappearing.. life's been hectic.

* * *

Chapter 9

I walked into the kitchen next morning my excitement unable to be quelled even when Mick who happened to be carrying the entire fruit basket out the door slammed into me. I considered asking for a second, but Fabian's eye roll promised that it was just drama I really didn't want to hear. Settling down next to him I spoke,"Can I see your phone? I think I found the symbols from the painting." An excited Fabian quickly handed over the picture and after studying I was thrilled to know I'd been right. "I thought so, look.. This symbol here that means terraced hill or stairs. And then this one means buried or underneath and this one is the number 8. So what if the treasure is buried underneath the 8th stair."

"You think?" Fabian dubiously asked. I couldn't blame him for his apprehension… who keeps treasure under a stair? Still, it was worth a shot.

"I don't know maybe I've seen too many Indiana Jones movies but I think it's worth checking out," I admitted lightly. I probably was entirely wrong, but it would be stupid not to follow our first lead.

"Prying up floor boards is my specialty," Eddie, who seemed always to be eavesdropping, told us with a laugh. "I say we give it a shot tonight."

With everything agreed, we headed off to classes. After all, even treasure hunting, possibly magic, high school girls must know their Algebra.

* * *

Before dinner, Fabian, Eddie and I sat at the kitchen table going over our plan when we heard Patricia's excited cry, "Yes! I have an email from Joy!"

Forgetting our conversation immediately at the thought of his friend, Fabian jumped from his seat and went to look at Patricia's screen. "That is great," he told her with the slightest trace of guilt evident in his voice. Obviously, he felt bad for 'forgetting' one of his oldest friends to a mysterious mystery.

"What she say?" Jerome asked with a false sense of indifference. Jerome might be a jerk sometimes, but he does seem to really care about his friends.

"Hi Patricia!" Alfie answered with a Joy imitation so bad even I, who'd never spoken to the girl, knew it was wrong.

Ignoring the foolish boy I heard Patricia reply, "Hang on I'll read it. 'Hi Patricia.'"

Excited that he was right, I saw Alfie do a little fist pump in the corner of my eye. "That settles it. I'm psychic."

"Sorry I haven't been in touch." Patricia continued, "It's been hectic since I left. Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I'm fine. I know it probably seemed a bit odd of me disappearing like that, but dads business went under and he needed to get me out of there ASAP. I was a bit shocked myself. Hope you're all okay and not missing me too much, love Joy." If I'd hoped Joy's response would quell Patricia's thoughts of conspiracy, I'd have been wrong. "There's no smiley face at the end! Joy always puts a smiley face. And there's no text speak. It's all written out properly." So now, Patricia thought the conspiracy went so far as faking emails?

Jerome didn't see anything weird with it, but instead raised a pillow to the gods and spoke, "Joy's learned to spell at last. Hurray!"

"And it's from a new email address," Patricia hurriedly panicked.

Trying to comfort her friend Mara spoke gently, "Sometimes I use text speak in emails and sometimes I don't."

"And a new email address makes sense if she's moved house," Fabian pointed out.

Sighing in resignation, Patricia responded in an unexpected way. "Yeah you're right, sorry. I bet I've been driving you all crazy… Especially you Nina."

"Hey!" Eddie replied indignantly. "You've been horrible to me too!"

"You deserved it," Patricia replied with a smirk that, if I didn't know better, I would have taken as a flirtation device. But no, Patricia couldn't possibly be flirting with Eddie… right? I mean she hated him!

Or did she? To be honest, I don't really get either of them.

Breaking up the love fest, Trudy appeared. "Can somebody help me take this food to the table please?"

Once a joyful (and suddenly helpful) Patricia disappeared Fabian returned with a smirk, "Wow I think that might have been Patricia's attempt at an apology!"

Startled by how much good there was inside the previously hateful Patricia, I smiled in a baffled surprise. "I think you might be right."

The joy just seemed to be contagious in Anubis house when a smiling Amber and Mick entered, "Hey guys, guess what? Mick and I have made up!"

"Thank God," Eddie muttered clasping his hands in a prayer of thanksgiving. "Now I can break up with Mara. Seriously, all the girl talks about is school work."

Unaware to the other conversation of used girlfriends, Amber continued bouncing from foot to foot. "And we're having a party to celebrate! Tomorrow night you're all invited."

"Oh great, a party. Maybe I'll wait a day to break up with Mara."

"Why? Hoping she'll see you dance and break up with you first, Slimeball?" Patricia, ever the eavesdropper, asked slapping the embarrassed boy's back.

"Well there goes my date." Ah. So Eddie had meant to say that at such a high volume. He wanted Patricia to think she won. That sly little thing.

"So, Nina, want to go to the party with me?" Eddie asked sliding his arm around my shoulder.

Moving his arm like a disgusting piece of trash I smiled, "Not going to happen."

* * *

Victor was studying intently in his office, so I knew that I'd be able to sneak out easily as long as I stayed silent. Counting backwards, I found the 8th step just as Fabian and Eddie arrived besides me.

"Anything there?" Eddie whispered in my ear. I went to shake my head, but eventually felt something with my hand. Pulling out a small brown key, I flashed my friends a funny grin before creeping up the stairs. "Careful!" Eddie's hushed voice came just in time for me to not slide on the step and make a very loud noise.

"Thanks," I told him honestly. "See you guys in the morning."

"Night Nina," they both told me quietly before heading back into their rooms. Softly I crept back to my room and into bed before breathing a sigh of relief. Victor didn't know what we were doing, so, as long as we got the key back soon, he'd never know of the treasure to come with this key.

* * *

So I'm thinking this will be the last bad chapter and next chapter I'll go completely off book. I mean I've already messed with the relationships, Sibuna, and now Victor doesn't even know the key is missing! Yeah... it's time to make this completely my own :)


	10. Chapter 10

I don't know how many of you saw this message on my other story, but this is probably my last update until like the 21st. I'm only able to update on weekends and my choir tour will have me busy all week. So unless you live in New York City and want to walk around Times Square looking for me... you'll have to wait and read later. It won't be that bad, remember, Patience is a fruit of the Holy Spirit!

* * *

Chapter 10

From their position at the breakfast table and the way both boy's eyes flashed towards me from the moment I walked into the room, Eddie and Fabian had been waiting to talk to me. Sitting between the two of them, I opened my mouth but couldn't get a word out before I heard a scream. Dashing into the main hallway, I saw Patricia sitting at the bottom of the steps clutching her ankle. Gilt racked through me as I realized what had happened-the 8th floorboard had slid from beneath her feet and sent her toppling down the stairs.

"What is going on down here?" Victor, who (from the state of his clothes) had slept in his office, cried. "What are you all doing."

"It's my ankle!" Patricia cried genial as ever. (Yes, that was sarcasm.) "One of the boards broke and sent me flying!"

Trudy had already pushed past us in an attempt to check out the injured girl. "Just a sprain," the mother concluded to my great relief. "I've been telling you for ages to get that board fixed, Victor." Trudy chastened. (Ah how memories can be influenced by events.) "I always said one of the kids would hurt themselves on it."

"Nonsense," Victor concluded gruffly. "The board was fine until Miss Williamson broke it."

To everyone's surprise, it was Eddie who stepped in with a lie, "Actually, sir, I think you're wrong. I, myself, have fallen on it many a times."

Fuming, Victor stalked back to his office ignoring the floorboard that he was supposed to deal with. Fabian and Eddie helped Trudy carry Patricia into the lounge where they gently set her on the couch. "This is just terrible!" Amber cried dramatically. "Now how are you going to dance at me and Mick's getting back together party?"

"Like I would have danced anyways," the cross girl rebuked. "I hate dancing."

"Well then you've obviously never had the right partner," Eddie mumbled to my surprise. He hadn't meant for anyone to hear it, but both Patricia and I had.

"And I'm assuming you're that perfect partner here to sweep me off my feet, slime ball."

Eddie didn't respond with anger to the harsh words. Instead, he just chuckled, "I guess we'll have to get you back on your feet for tonight and we'll see then, won't we, yacker?"

"I wouldn't dance with you if we were the last people on earth." I didn't know Patricia well, but something told me she couldn't possibly hate Eddie as much as she pretended to. Still, the idea of Patricia and Eddie tolerating each other, never mind liking each other was ridiculous. They couldn't possibly be flirting, could they?

Well, I wouldn't know. My love life consists of nothing but a few stolen glances at Fabian.

Fabian. I'd like to think my feelings stem from the fact that he was here for me when no one else was, but that can't be the case. After all, Eddie was nicer to me first and I most certainly didn't feel anything for him! No… the thing with Fabian was just that he was smart, and hot, and funny, and geeky, but in the good way. He just seemed like such a great guy… and while he might like me, I'll be waiting for him to make the first move guaranteed.

All the fuss over Patricia's ankle led to us practically running to school, so it wasn't until after classes that Eddie and Fabian caught up with me. "Any idea what the key is to?" Fabian wondered after I told them that I'd hidden our new found possession beneath my bed.

"No idea," I admitted looking to the others for suggestions. Fabian too shrugged, but after being silent for a second Eddie came up with an idea.

"Well the attic seems to hold all the clues, right? Why don't we use the party tonight as a cover. We all go for a little bit and then once we've been seen but won't be missed we head up in the attic and try to find things with little key holes."

"They're called locks," Fabian, who'd never really approved of the wild-child American who kept tagging alone, corrected. "And that's a horrible idea! There will be tons of people in the house to see us sneak out!"

"Which is why it's such a good idea." I had to go with Eddie on this one, despite the fact that Fabian was the smartest amongst us. "Everyone will just assume we're with someone else, because they'll have seen us at the party. It's the perfect cover."

"I still don't like it," Fabian admitted, but, aware we'd carry through with or without him, he grinned. 'But what the hey. Let's give it a go. We stay at the party for the first half hour or so, go upstairs, and then go back down to the party. No one will be any the wiser to our other adventures."

* * *

"That's weird," I mumbled while trying to get the door to mine and Patricia's room open. "It's like it's jammed." Just as I was about to give up the door swung open as if all the pressure exerted on it had just been released. A incredibly nervous Mara and scowling Patricia stood in the open doorway looking guilty. Glancing an eye under my bed to make sure the box was still where I left it, I released a fake smile, "The party started and Amber was looking for you."

"We were just going down." Patricia's spiteful tone sank my heart. I hadn't expected us to become best friends or anything, but we'd be nicer to each other since Joy's e-mail came in. What had I done now to anger the girl?

"Great, see you down there," I replied stepping aside so they could get past. Once the girls were gone I ducked beneath my bed and pulled out the keys I'd hidden there. Meeting me by the attic as planned I handed Eddie the key to unlock the door.

"You know we really should return this and just pick the lock," the blonde haired hooligan suggested. "If Victor notices it's gone we'll be in a world of trouble."

"You're right," I admitted. Keeping the key this long had been really stupid of me, especially where I did know how to pick a lock with only a hair pin. "I'll leave it outside his office next time he's not in there."

"Okay then," Fabian told us firmly. "Let's go find the lock for this treasure chest."


	11. Chapter 11

By gods you must hate me! I am so, so,so,so,so,so sorry for not updating sooner as promised… life just got jn the way as well as stupid teachers who I no longer feel any guilt for killing in "The Ring of Osiris"…

But enough of me, on with the tale… FYI I already wrote this chapter and then accidentally deleted it so… sorry if it's short. I'll have a longer one up later, promise.

* * *

Chapter 11

"Try this one," I suggested to my friends handing over the 5th locked box I'd found. Eddie's gaze wasn't a hopeful one, but he still took the old box from my hand and tried the key.

"Wow, I can't believe that actually worked," Eddie murmured under his breath. "I was starting to think this whole thing was just a joke."

"It might very well still be," Fabian answered honestly. "What's inside the box?"

Having not actually opened the unlocked artifact yet, it took Eddie a little while to undo the rusted hinges. Unfortunately, when he did, I saw a sharp drop in his face. What's wrong?" I prompted? "Is it empty?"

"Nope," Eddie answered popping his "p". "But it's not helpful either… Let's see there are some weird black cylinder things and a heavy metal thing with hieroglyphics on it. Oh and look, it even spins. How interesting…" The sarcasm in Eddie's voice was evident as he moved through the box trying to find something important. "Yeah I have no idea what any of these things are."

"My uncle is an antiques dealer," Fabian suggested studying the odd objects. "Maybe we bring these things to him and see if he knows what they are."

I was about to comment on how Sarah seemed to think this was a secret best kept between Eddie and me, when the blonde himself interrupted. "No way are we showing these to some antique dealers. We'll use google to figure out what they are… if they are anything."

Eddie was right, nothing Fabian's uncle could tell us would be better than google (if god existed it was in the form of a web browser.) "Sorry Fabian, but I think Eddie's right. Sarah doesn't even want you knowing; I think it's best if we keep this between ourselves.

"Look at us, the new Scooby gang," Eddie snidely commented. "Well if we're done here I have a party to attend and girls to impress."

"We should go before anyone notices us gone," Fabian realized looking at his watch. "We've been up here almost an hour."

"You guys go," I told them with a slight smile. "I'm just going to tidy up so Victor doesn't know we were up here."

"I could stay and help if you want," Fabian suggested immediately as if he feared me think him not a gentleman.

"Go," I told him with a smile. "I just need a minute alone." I was beginning to love this school… but at the same time, I missed the peace that came with being an only child with a busy guardian. I'd spent a large chuck of my childhood alone in my small house while Gran was at work or book club. Even as I got older and had the opportunity to spend time with friends I seldom did. Sometimes it seemed like no one knew me, and, until they understood, I saw no point in their company.

As they left, I made my way over to the beautiful stained glass window. Running my finger along the setting sun, I jumped when Eddie, who I'd thought would be the first to leave, spoke. "Do you believe in magic, Nina?"

"Jees you gave me the heart attack," I told him with a smile before realizing just how intense his gaze was. "Why would you ask?"

"It's just that locket. I don't understand it. I mean if it had some sort of mechanics that reacted when close to its key, that I could understand, but it only glows for us. Why us and not Fabian? Why the two of us that Sarah seemed to think trustworthy?"

"I don't think Sarah does think you trustworthy," I replied honestly despite avoiding his question. "I think she believes you feel obliged to protect me even though I am fine on my own, but I've seen the way she looks at you."

"How does she look at me?" Eddie, who obviously had noticed nothing, questioned imperatively.

I considered lying, or telling him to forget it, but I hated when people did that so I spoke with careful words. "When Sarah looks at me it's like she's seeing herself… but when she looks at you. When Sarah looks at you she dawns a look of unimaginable pain. It's almost like she thinks you'll be the one to save my life… or the one to destroy it."

* * *

You don't know how much it bugged me that no one in season 1 took the time to think about the magical locket that only worked for Nina.


	12. Chapter 12

See I generally keep my promises and update when i say I will... don't forget to review if only to yell at me for my irregular updates!

* * *

Chapter 12

To no one's surprise the party had gotten a bit crazier by the time we returned. No, I don't mean illicit substances crazy, (though I was surprised by the lack of apparent alcohol). By crazy I mean more… Alfie running around with a deer head as a hat. Of course, this didn't go unnoticed to Victor, who I already heard tumbling down the stairs to yell at us, but it did provide a good amount of distraction while I left the attic key in the kitchen for Victor or Trudy to find while never knowing who put it there. Even though he'd be furious to know it had been missing in the first place, Victor's fury wouldn't be able to fall singularly on me and my friends.

"WHOEVER DOES NOT LIVE HERE IS TO LEAVE IMMEDIATELY!" the grouchy caretaker bellowed over the blaring pop music as he stared down each individual student. "I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS FOOLISHNESS!"

I don't know whether it was his tone or Victor's reputation, but all the students I didn't know that had been crowding our living room a moment before disappeared out the door like a flash of light. From Victor's furious face I worried he knew about Eddie, Fabian and my trips to the attic, but he just popped open his pocket watch.

"It is 10:05," he growled. "Get in bed this instant and if I hear a peep the perpetrator will be grounded for a week. Go!"

At our immediate dismissal, I said bye to my friends with only my eyes before dashing up the stairs to the room I only had to share with Patricia for one more night. Thank God.

* * *

"Phonographic cylinders," a grinning Fabian and Eddie told me at the same time breaking me from my early morning stupor.

"What?" I questioned fully aware that my face was probably expressing just how mad they sounded. "What on earth are you talking about?"

"The thing we found," Eddie told me with a causal glance at our housemates who, despite being involved in their own conversations, were probably listening to see what we were up to. "They're called phonographic cylinders and if my memory stands we have what we need to play them in our place."

"You do realize there is no reason to talk in code," an annoyed Patricia (or maybe a normal Patricia as she is always annoyed) reminded us. "It's not like we really care enough to listen in."

"Um… correct me if I'm wrong… but isn't listening to our riveting conversation exactly what you were just doing, Yacker?" Patricia had no reply to Eddie's words, but from the look on her face she was furious. Storming off to class I let out a soft chuckle before throwing my own backpack on and setting off for the day.

Besides the mildly annoying French test (which, would have been much harder was I not fluent), nothing of interest happened during that day… or nothing of interest that I knew of. Patricia seemed more on edge than ever before, but I was pretty sure her mumbling about the school killing Joy was more metaphorical than literal. Either that or Patricia was the one who needed some counseling,

"Nina! Eddie! Come here," I heard Fabian exclaim from the main hallway as I sat doing homework later that night. After passing a 'I wonder what this is about' look between us, we left to see what Fabian wanted.

"You see those shapes on the staircases… I always thought they were just abstract decorations, but they're not they're the eye of Horus… same as your necklace and the locks in the attic."

"Your point?' Eddie asked sarcastically. "We already established her necklace came from this house and that Sarah therefore lived here as she claims."

"But I did some research on the house," Fabian explained excitement thick in his voice. "The Frobisher- Smythes who owned the place were Egyptologists and they worked on John Carter's expedition to king Tutankhamen's tomb. They were accused of stealing artifacts, but died before anything could be proven!"

"Wait," I told him catching on to where this was going. "You don't actually think this treasure we're looking for is stuff from King Tut's tomb?"

"I actually think Rutter's right on this one," Eddie answered with a slight nod. "It would make sense why she'd think it needed to be protected. Plus, if it's something they stole it explains why they'd hide it in the house."

"But what were they accused of stealing? Did it say?" If we knew anything, anything, about what we were looking for maybe it would be easier to find.

Unfortunately, Fabian's face said the answer before his lips. "It didn't say, but I can do some more research and see what I find out."

"Do that and then tonight we go back up in the attic to see if we can play these cylinders. Maybe by the end of the night we'll know not just what we're looking for, but where to look for it."

"How hopeful you are, Nina," Eddie commented after a beaming Fabian set off to do what he did best-research. "You don't really think these cylinders, if we can even play them, will tell us where this ancient Egyptian treasure is, right?"

"You don't actually think my necklace is magic, right?" Actually, I knew he did. I think we all did. Still, it proved the point I hadn't been aware of making. Maybe if one insane thing could be going on in this house there was actually hope that everything else we faced would be just as insane.

And of course everything else we faces was just as insane, but not in the way I expected. We snuck into the attic that night, but when we tried to play the tapes the only sound was that of a terrible death…and a scream. A scream so loud that we hid in our secret room even before Victor came to check it out.


	13. Chapter 13

So sorry for the delay... I'm really starting to hate this play schedule!

* * *

Chapter 13

I wasn't sure whether to find it amusing, or sad that we were getting so good at hiding. Victor's footsteps were heavy and close, but he'd proven enough times not to know of our secret room. Even if he did I doubted he could get in. General rule of thumb you don't make a copy of the magic necklace.

"We should scream just to freak him out," Eddie suggested with a crooked grin as if reading my mind. Fabian flashed him a 'don't you dare' look while the boy shrugged. "What? It's not like he can catch us in here. Nina has the key."

"No," I admitted nodding my head sarcastically. "But he could just wait for us to come out. Now stay quite!" Despite not trying to show it, my last word came out with a shiver of cold. Back in Florida, where I'd always lived, nothing was every this cold in September. Apparently here I couldn't just wear short sleeves all the time.

"Take my jacket," Fabian suggested laying it over my bare arms. Eddie scoffed at the boys chivalry (but I'd noticed Eddie going to remove his leather jacket too when Fabian made the first move). "What's so funny?" Fabian asked defensively.

"Nothing dude. You just couldn't be more obvious with your feelings. Why don't you just ask Nina out already?"

An odd hissing/scoffing/whimpering noise prevailed as Fabian and I looked for words to defend ourselves. I would have said yes if Fabian had asked of course… but I didn't want to make this thing awkward if Fabian didn't feel the same way. Better to remain in the friend zone than to lose my biggest ally (Eddie tagged along, but it's not like he was actually any help. I only let him stay because Sarah liked him and he was hard to get rid of.)

"Whatever," Eddie answered with a cocky smile. "Guess I was wrong then. I think Victor is gone which means we, should go."

Eddie was right, Victor had gone, but the man's office wasn't far from our rooms and we had to be silent as we snuck back down the stairs. Saying our final goodbyes, I headed into my room and found myself face-to-face with a nosy blonde named Amber.

"Do you have two boyfriends Nina because I was really starting to ship you and Fabian but if you like Eddie…."

"What!" It wasn't like that with either of them, never mind both. And the idea of me crushing on Eddie had my quacking in my sneakers. "No! It isn't like that."

"Well if you weren't just out there having them fight over you then I'm not an heiress." On anyone else the look would have been downright ridiculous, but Amber pulled off the accusation perfectly leaving me with two options. I could lie and have Amber think I was one of those girls who strings guys along, or I could tell her the truth.

Or now that I think of it, I can go with plan C, "Then you better learn to waitress because it wasn't that. I mean I was on a secret date with Fabian…"

"I know it!" the blonde answered with a beam and a fist pump.

"But I was just giving Eddie relationship advice… I think he likes Patricia."

Now Amber seemed to think I was the nutty one. "Um Nina, Eddie and Patricia hate each other. I half think he's been playing tricks on her because she's been really jumpy lately."

"Maybe you're right," I told the girl with a sigh even though my gut said otherwise. "But you have to promise not to tell anyone! You know how Fabian is about privacy and Eddie would be mortified to find out that anyone knew he needed dating advice."

Amber's sympathetic nod wasn't very reassuring, but I knew it was the best I'd get. "Of course. I'd never tell someone your secrets. I swear it on my grave."

Well, what would you expect? The words Amber and drama queen are synonymous you know.

* * *

Everything was fine the next day, even Amber seemed to be keeping her promise. The oddest thing to happen was Patricia freaking out in drama about a man outside the school. I didn't really like the girl because she had been pretty horrible to me, but I still felt bad. It seemed that before she lost her best friend, Joy, to life circumstances Patricia had been much saner than she was now.

Unfortunately, that really wasn't even that odd of an occurrence for a high school drama class. After class, however, things started to go wrong when Amber found me studying the odd thing we'd found up in the attic. I'd found a hieroglyphic dictionary and was trying to translate some words, but it was a long and tedious process with few rewards.

"You better tell me what you're doing or I'm going to Mr. Sweet and telling him… you're doing something weird," my roommate called over the stall door (I know, awkward) to announce her presence.

Panicked, my brain searched for an answer but came up with nothing but the truth. "Look, Amber, you can't tell anybody what I'm about to tell you. You understand?"

"Of course!" The girl replied as if ashamed that I'd question her honor. "I haven't told anyone about your date with Fabian, right?" Nope, she hadn't. except for the 4 other girls in the bathroom at that moment of course. "Oops. Sorry Nins."

Maybe it was the girl's nickname for me, but I felt I really could trust Amber. "Meet me out back after classes and I'll explain."

And I did. I explained what we found and what we thought it might lead to. Amber seemed to think it was epic, but when I had to confess to Eddie and Fabian that Amber knew they weren't as thrilled.

Actually, Eddie was just plain furious. "Are you planning on telling national television that we're looking for a stolen ancient Egyptian treasure because telling Amber is the same thing!"

"She has a good heart," Fabian defended for his oldest friend. "She won't talk about something this big."

"I didn't say she'd talk on purpose. I said she was going to talk. And now, if Victor doesn't try to get us expelled, people are going to think we're bigger nuts than Patricia!"

"Eddie!" Okay maybe Amber was right. I couldn't possibly see how Eddie could like the gothic girl he was so mean. "Patricia is not crazy, she's just worried about her friend like any good person would be!"

I hadn't meant it as a dig at him, but from the way Eddie stormed off he took my words personally. Still, he wasn't so mad that he didn't show up for our planned meeting in the attic to listen to the recordings. And he wasn't the only surprise guest.

Amber stomped up the stairs so loudly we knew it could only be her. Of course we hadn't expected her to be carrying red "lucky" slips and about a dozen cloves of garlic but…

"Sorry Buffy, but I think you've come to the wrong place," Eddie told her sarcastically.

Ignoring him, Amber stood and listened as we tentatively played the cylinder. I'd expected the voice to be Robert Frobisher-Smythe's or at least his wife's but the voice we heard was that of a child. "Mother and father have given the house a name, Anubis. They're going away again soon. To Egypt I think. Father says they have to for his work."

"The Smythe's must have had a daughter," Fabian deduced. "I'm guessing this is her."

"When they go," the girl continued over him because phonographic cylinder don't have pause buttons, "I'll be on my own again, with him. I don't want to stay here. I'm afraid of what will happen to me."

"And I'm afraid of what will happen to me is we stay here for another moment," a terrified Amber squeaked. Moving far too quickly, the girl almost tripped, but Eddie grabbed her hand just in time.

"Careful princess. We don't want to have to explain our presence up here and the body bag."

Though meant as a joke, Amber stormed off at the boy's words. I too was annoyed but glad, as I went after her, that at least we hadn't been caught. Yet.


	14. SO SORRY

Please don't hate me, but I think you probably saw this coming. I'm putting this story on hiatus until I finish my other story "Unwanted Allegiance." I'm very sorry, but I just can't do this 2 stories at a time thing. My life is far too complicated as it is. I promise to come back to it, but for now I must say adieu.


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